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October 22, 2007 - Cancer Centers of the Carolinas and Bon Secours St. Francis Health System are pleased to announce The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program has been selected to participate as a Blue Distinction CenterSM for transplants. This will allow Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans nationwide to access the Blood and Marrow Program for autologous bone marrow transplants.
The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program provides care for adult patients requiring autologous and matched-related allogeneic transplants. Stem cell transplantation is an aggressive therapy for patients with blood borne diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. The terms for bone marrow and stem cell transplant are often used interchangeably since the stem cells are derived from the bone marrow. Cancer Centers of the Carolinaspartners with the Batson Cancer Care Center of St. Francis for inpatient transplant care.
Autologous bone marrow transplants are often accomplished on an outpatient basis. In an autologous transplant, the stem cells are harvested from the blood of the patient. The stem cells are then frozen and stored until needed. The patient will later receive high dose chemotherapy prior to having the stem cells re-infused. The stem cells are thawed and infused in a manner similar to a blood transfusion. These stem cells replace the bone marrow that was damaged by the high dose chemotherapy and allows the patient to produce blood again.
The Blood and Marrow Transplant program, operated through the partnership of Cancer Centers of the Carolinas and the Batson Cancer Care Center of St. Francis, is the only stem cell transplant program in the Upstate of South Carolina. This program offers comprehensive transplant care to patients throughout the SouthEast and nationwide. Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is located in Greenville SC; Cancer Centers of the Carolinas has patient offices in Greenville, Greer, Easley, Spartanburg and Seneca, South Carolina.
About Blue Distinction Centers: Blue Distinction Centers is a nationwide program set up by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association to evaluate and designate specialty centers based on nationally endorsed quality measures developed in collaboration with medical experts and professional organizations. The transplant centers offer services through a coordinated transplant management program and have agreed to negotiated rates for transplant services provided to members of participating, independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans that are licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The local Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans make independent coverage and benefit determinations in connection with the global rates negotiated by the Blue Distinction Centers program.
About Cancer Centers of the Carolinas: Cancer Centers of the Carolinas (CCC) is a community-based, physician-owned practice with 24 board-certified oncologists practicing in 8 locations in the Upstate of South Carolina. CCC is the Upstate’s largest cancer care group treating over 6,000 new patients annually. CCC specializes in medical oncology, radiation oncology, gynecologic oncology, hematology, transplantation and clinical research. CCC is a National Cancer Institute research grant recipient, home to South Carolina’s first FACT accredited Stem Cell Transplant Program, and home to the Clinical Research Unit that offers Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. For more information visit our website at www.cancercarolinas.com .
About Bon Secours St. Francis Health System: Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is a tertiary level healthcare system with two acute care patient facilities, St. Francis HomeHealth and Open Arms Hospice serving Upstate South Carolina. For more information please visit our website at www.stfrancishealth.org . |
